Temporary residence and work permit

This article is written according to the legal status current as of: 2017-01-05

Temporary residence and work permit

What is it?

It is a single document aimed at foreigners who stay in Poland with the intention of performing work. Such persons may now apply for both a work permit and residence permit in a single procedure.

A temporary residence and work permit is granted if:

a foreigner who has health insurance or conformation that costs of medical treatment on the territory of Poland will be covered by an insurance company,

a foreigner has a stable and steady income that is sufficient to cover costs of living of the foreigner and his/her dependants,

a foreigner has a place to stay in Poland,

the remuneration offered to a foreigner is not lower than that offered to a Polish citizen for a comparable work in a comparable position,

the competent district office could not find a suitable candidate among persons registered with that office as an unemployed person or job-seeker.

The amount of remuneration divided by the number of persons in a household must be higher than the minimum income as referred to in the act on social assistance.

In the case of some professions a foreigner must additionally submit documents confirming that he/she has the right to undertake a given job in Poland.

A foreigner must not apply for a temporary residence and work permit if:

he/she is under any type of protection in Poland: a refugee status, supplementary or temporary protection, permit for tolerated stay, residence permit for humanitarian reasons or asylum;

he/she waits for a decision as regards the refugee status or asylum;

he/she has a permanent residence permit or long-term residence permit in the European Union;

he/she stays in Poland on the basis of a Schengen visa granted for humanitarian reasons or reasons concerned with the best interests of the Republic of Poland;

he/she is held in custody or stays in a guarded centre for foreigners;

he/she may voluntarily leave Poland within a period indicated in the decision on obligation to return;

he/she is obliged to leave the territory of Poland as a result of refusal to extend a Schengen visa, a temporary or permanent residence permit (or withdrawal of such a permit), denial to grant international protection or withdrawal of residence permit for humanitarian reasons;

he/she is a worker delegated to work in Poland by a foreign employer;

he/she entered the territory of Poland on the basis of entry simplifications for foreigners who come to Poland for reasons related to trade or investments;

he/she runs a business in Poland.

A foreigner is obliged to:

immediately submit an application for a new work permit if working conditions change (unless it is a change in the company name, address or type of business entity or rise in pay) and not submitting it may result in withdrawing the permit;

inform the competent Province Office about the loss of employment within 15 of the last day of work;

submit to the competent Province Office an application for exchanging a residence card in case of any change in data on that card (e.g. address).

Remember! All the materials posted on the portal www.zielonalinia.gov.pl have been drawn up by the editorial group and are for your information. The editors have put a considerable effort to make the provided information accurate and reliable. However, the information does not constitute a binding interpretation of the law.